I received this book for free from the publisher. All content and opinions are my own.

Welcome to today’s stop on Eleanor Bluestein‘s blog tour for her debut book, Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales! Today’s post is my review of Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales. Then, Ms. Bluestein will be back here at The Bluestocking Society on Monday for an interview, so be sure to stop by then.

I really really enjoyed this book/collection. The book consists of ten unrelated stories. Well, unrelated except each takes place in the fictitious Middle Eastern country of Ayama Na. Each of the stories completely drew me in and left me changed in some small way. From the very first story “Pineapple Wars,” I was compelled by this Ayama Na place with its cultural moorings shifting in a globalized world.

The range of Bluestein’s imagination and research is remarkable. From “Hamburger School” with its exploration of abuse and suicide at a local McDonald’s to “AIBO or Love at First Sight” with its rural location and ruminations on the love of gadgets, there is something to be learned and appreciated in each tale. “North of the Faro” has a mystical realism about it and “The Cut the Crap Machine” explores the relationship between two of Ayama Na’s remaining writers. “Skin Deep” explores one young woman’s beauty pageant career and “The Blanks” examines the tourist trade. I could go on and on, but you just need to read them.

Other than Ayama Na, the theme that runs through the collection is Bluestein’s writing. It’s impeccable. Here’s a taste from “Tea,” the concluding and titular story:

“The customers in this cafe don’t order,” Kol said.
“What are you talking about?”
“See the elderly couple over there? They own the cafe and they decide what to serve each customer who comes in.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Pania twisted her head and lifted a ficus branch. At a short end of the rectangular room an old woman with pure white hair stood at a sink rinsing suds from yellow mugs, which across the counter from her, seated on a three-legged mahogany stool, an elderly gentleman with a narrow gray braid that hung halfway down his knobby back read a book propped against an espresso machine.
“When they have a moment to spare, they’ll observe us, and based on their observations and intuition they’ll choose the appropriate beverages for us.”
She stared at him, speechless.
“For example,” Kol said, “if it’s early morning and a patron stumbles in half asleep, they might serve an espresso with double shots of caffeine. For a cranky child, a mug of hot chocolate and a rice cake. For the agitated, a soothing green or jasmine tea. I imagine we’ll be served tea, but perhaps a surprise. Regardless, they’ll bring what we need.”

I’m just delighted with this debut effort from Eleanor Bluestein. I hope that she continues writing. I know I’ll be eagerly reading any future offerings.

To win a copy of this delightful book, see the giveaway details below. Or, even better, you can purchase a copy at any of the stores below.

Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales, by Eleanor Bluestein [rating:4]

GIVEAWAY. Ms. Bluestein and TLC Book Tours were kind enough to send me an extra copy of Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales to giveaway to one lucky reader. To enter just leave a comment on this post. Post about the giveaway on your blog and leave a link in the comments to your post for three extra entries. U.S. and Canadian addresses only please. Random.org will select a winner on Monday, which will be announced in Ms. Bluestein’s guest post. Good luck!

Thanks to all for your interest and enthusiasm for these Ayama Na tales. Nicole, they are probably more Far Eastern than Middle east, but they could give the feel of war-ravaged, recovering and modernizing countries anywhere.